Holiday Inn, Townsville

Holiday Inn
"Sugar Shaker"

A cylindrical building against a night sky

The "Sugar Shaker", Townsville
Former names Hotel Townsville, Travelodge, Townsville International Hotel, Centra Townsville
General information
Type Hotel
Architectural style Modern
Location Townsville, Australia
Address 320 Flinders Street
Construction started 1975
Completed 1976
Owner Holiday Inn, Australia
Height 76 metres (249 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 23
References
[1]

The Holiday Inn Townsville, nicknamed the "Sugar Shaker" by the locals,[2][3][4] is currently the tallest building in Townsville, Australia, standing at 76-metre (249 ft) tall.[1] The building is located on Flinders Mall in the CBD,[5] a pedestrian mall that is under redevelopment.[6] The building has become popular to tourists visiting Queensland and Australia, having it is one of Australia's most famous hotels, due to its unusual shape.

History

The building was originally constructed in 1976 on the site of the former Central Hotel[7] which was demolished in 1973.[8] The hotel has gone by a number of names. It was originally called the "Hotel Townsville".[7] It has also been known as the Townsville Travelodge and Townsville International Hotel,[9] and around 2001 its name was changed from the "Centra" to Holiday Inn.[10]

The building has become well known as a local landmark due to the fact that it looks like a giant sugar shaker.[11][12] The odd shape of the building has been said to represent the importance of sugar to the Townsville port and area.[9]

In 2008, the hotel was acquired for A$22 million by Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) from Eureka Funds Management, which had owned it since 2005.[13][14] Prior to Eureka's ownership, the building was part of the portfolio of InterContinental Hotels Group.[15]

A A$7.8 million update of the building was completed in February 2010.[2]

There is a new pedestrian plaza or town square being developed next to the hotel[16] which is expected to draw more attention and activity to the area.[17]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Holiday Inn, Townsville.
  1. 1 2 Holiday Inn, Townsville at Emporis
  2. 1 2 Andrew Strutton (20 February 2010). "The sugar-shaker gets a shake-up". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 15 March 2010.(" 'It's also something we probably don't need to (alter), because people identify with the 'sugar-shaker' locally. 'It's as much a part of Townsville as it is a part of the Holiday Inn.'")
  3. ↑ Rosemary West (25 June 1993). "Alice Springs On The Coast". The Age. Retrieved 15 March 2010. ("More people might come if the mall were not dominated by a 20-storey motel tower. With its curved service block on top, it has been nicknamed the 'sugar shaker'".)
  4. ↑ "Indigenous art commissioned for hotel makeover" (PDF). Inspire (Indigenous Business Australia). April 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2010. ("The Holiday Inn Townsville is a local landmark, one which the locals refer to as the “sugar shaker”.")
  5. ↑ Tony Raggatt (5 February 2005). "High-rise heaven Proposals lodged for two more massive apartment buildings". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 15 March 2010. ("20-floor 'sugar shaker' Holiday Inn hotel in Flinders Mall")
  6. ↑ Tony Raggatt (30 April 2009). "Townsville mall makeover gets green light". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  7. 1 2 "Everything Under The Sun For A Warm Queensland Welcome (advertisement)". The Age. 17 March 1977. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  8. ↑ A Cultural Plan for Townsville, Townsville City Council, Community and Cultural Services Department, p.11 (2001), Retrieved 15 March 2010
  9. 1 2 Hofmeister, Burkhard. Australia and its urban centres (1988) (ISBN 978-3443370084) ("At the corner of Flinders and Stokes Streets the tower of the Townsville International Hotel was erected, its nickname being the 'sugar shaker' because of its peculiar shape symbolizing the economic importance of sugar for the area and for the port")
  10. ↑ Kruger, Natalie & Llewellyn, Marc. Frommer's Australia 2002 p.303 (2002) (ISBN 978-0764565335) ("Until last year it was the Centra but despite the name change remains part of the Bass Hotels group")
  11. ↑ Townsville Accommodation, Townsville-Queensland.com.au, Retrieved 15 March 2010
  12. ↑ Llewellyn, Marc & Mylne, Lee. Frommer's Australia 2004 p.310 (2003) (ISBN 978-0764538728) ("The 'Sugar Shaker' (you'll know why when you see it) has been Townsville's favorite hotel for years... Right on the Flinders Mall")
  13. ↑ Maurice Dunlevy (12 June 2008). "Eureka cashes in Townsville to buy city stars". The Australian. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  14. ↑ Lisa Carapiet (11 June 2008). "Article: IBA buys Holiday Inn". Australasian Business Intelligence. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  15. ↑ "InterCon sells series of hotels". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 September 2005. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  16. ↑ Tony Raggatt (6 February 2010). "Now's the time to get behind mall traders". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 15 March 2010.("Part of Stokes St opposite the Holiday Inn will form a town square.")
  17. ↑ Dismantling of Centre Stage at Flinders Mall begins, Townsville City Council (8 February 2010), Retrieved 15 March 2010

Coordinates: 19°15′34.92″S 146°49′01.7″E / 19.2597000°S 146.817139°E / -19.2597000; 146.817139

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